Governor



Sept. 12, 1939. M HEFTLER 2,172,678

GOVERNOR Filed Sept. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Sept. 12, 1939. HEFTLER 2,172,678

GOVERNOR Filed Sept. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I /7 2 fly. 3 f

. l a Z 3 LL 5 Iii y INVEMTOR Patented Sept. 12,- 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2.11am: Govmmon.

Maurice B. Heftler, Grouse Pointe Park, liflchu assignor to 'lorben Company, a corporation of Michigan Application September 27,1934, Serial No. 745,613

13 Claims. (Cl. 137- 153) This invention relates to governors for internal combustion engines and particularly to that type of governor in which the position of the throttle is controlled by the suction on the engine side of 6 the throttle.

In its broad aspect, the object of the invention is to provide a mechanism whereby the throttle opening of an internal combustion engine is regulated so that the engine does not exceed a fixed predetermined speed irrespective of the load. Itis a well-known fact that if the throttle of an internal combustion engine is manipulated so as to cause the engine to operate at a fixed predetermined speed as the load varies, the opening of the throttle will bear a fixed relationship to the suction in the manifold. Devices have heretofore been constructed to take advantage of this principle, their general object being to control the position of the throttle by suction inthe manifold. However, if, as the load be decreased, the speed is to be kept constant by closing the throttle, the relation of the suction to the throttle opening is not a linear one, in other words, the closure of the throttle is less than proportional to the increase in suction. It-

is an object of this device to provide a simple means whereby the position of a throttle is made tobear a continuous non-linear relationship with the suction in the manifold. It is a further object to avoid the use of frictional mechanisms in such a device so as to attain the maximum sensitivity and responsiveness.

It is a further object to provide such a governing device with one-way mechanisms for the manual control of the throttle, such one-way mechanisms allowing the closing of the throttle beyond the position set by the governing device, so as to permit operation of the motor at low speeds. .Another object is to provide a governor in which the moving parts are few and of simple and light construction so that the action of the governor is immediately responsive'to the changing load of the engine and not delayed by the inertia of the moving parts.

Another object is to provide agovernor in which the moving parts all move in the same direction, which direction, when the governor is attached to an engine, will-be the direction of least vibration, so that the vibration of the engine will not produce relative motion of the governor p r s Another object of the invention is to utilize;-

ior the control of the piston, a type of spring which can be manufactured by production:

methods withgreat accuracy so that the characteristics of any one spring will be, within very narrow limits, identical with those of every other spring.

With these and other objects in view the in- 5 vention will be better understood from the following description with reference to the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification, in which: 10

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device, partly in section, showing the relative arrangement of the moving parts. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a transl5 verse vertical sectional view along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the throttle moved to closed position and 20 Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment of the invention chosen for illustrative purposes is a combined carburetor and governor suitable foruse in a motor vehicle 25 engine and designed for downdraft carburetion.

The structure shown in Fig. 1 comprises three general parts: the fuel mixing device Ii, the speed control device i2, and the manifold it, of the engine, secured to one another in vertical 30 alignment by appropriate bolts such as ll. The fuel mixing device [2 is similar to the conventional downdraft carburetor except-that it is not supplied with a throttle, one of the purposes of this invention being to utilize the automatic 35 throttle in the governor for manual control as well.

The air enters the top of the fuel mixing device ll, passes downwardly through the venturi it where it is intermixed with fuel issuing from 40 an appropriate nozzle, not shown, then through the throttle conduit ll of the speed control device and into the manifold it. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the speed control device l2 isv contained in a casting having a vertical throttle 45 conduit l'I in alignment with the manifold i3 and the fuel mixing device H, a driver chamber l8 projecting sidewardly from said conduit il, a small clearance char iberis projecting forwardly from said driver chamber l8, a piston chamber 50 2|, of circular cross-section and horizontally directed axis, projecting rearwardlyof said driver I .chamber is and a. bracket 22 projecting upwardlyfrom the rearward end of said piston chamber. I i. The

piston chamber 2| communicates with the throttle conduit |1 through the hole 23, in the wall of the throttle conduit and through the large hole, 24 in the end of. the piston chamber, thus transmitting the suction from the throttle conduit l1 to the piston chamber 2|.

The passage of gas through the throttle conduit I1 is regulated by a balanced butterfly throttle 25 centrally mounted on a throttle shaft 26, Figs. 2 and 3. The throttle shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in the walls of the conduit l1 with one end 21 of the throttle shaft extending horizontally into the upper part of the driver chame ber l8 and the other end 28 extending through the other side of the throttle conduit.

Since the throttle 25 is intended to be manually operable to closed or idling position, the inside wall of the throttle'conduit is provided with an idling jet 23 positioned opposite the top edge of the throttle 25 in its closed position. The idling jet 23 communicates with an idling conduit 3|, in the fuel mixture device H, which is supplied with fuel in theconventional manner. It will be noted that the end 21 of the throttle shaft 26 lies approximately in the vertical plane through the axis of the piston chamber 2| and that the throttle shaft 26 is directed at right angles to said plane and above said axis.

A throttle lever 33 fixedly secured to the end 21 of the throttle shaft 26, extending downwardly therefrom and terminating in a forked lower end, provides a point of attachment for the automatic throttle actuating device now to be described.

The means provided for actuating the throttle through the suction in the manifold include a piston 32, of webbed construction, operating in the 'piston chamber 2|. An axial member 33 projecting through and crimped to the edges of a central hole in the web of the Piston 32 provides a means of attaching it to the other parts of the device. The end of the axial member 33 nearest the throttle is provided with an open vertical slot 34 and the other end is similarly provided with a vertical slot 35. A connecting link 36 with one end fulcrumed in slot 34 of member 33 by pin 33 extends into the driver chamber l3; the other end extends between the tines of lever 30, and is provided with a closed, laterally,

extending slot 31. A pin 33 extending through the slot 31 and through holes in the end of each tine provides a one-way connection between the throttle lever 33 and the connecting link 36.

The throttle lever 33 is urged to that end of slot 31 nearest the piston 32 by a coil spring 4| connecting the projecting ends of pins 33 and 33 and tending to draw the lever 33 and the piston 32 towards one another,

As the piston 32 moves toward the driver chamber l3, the throttle 25, by reason of its connection to the piston 32, through thethrottle lever 30 and the link 36, will be rotated toward closed position, the slotted end of the link 36 moving into the clearance chamber l3. As will be subsequently explained, it may be desired to prevent the movement of the piston 32 beyond the position wherein the throttle 25 is partially closed This may be accomplished by properly shaping the chamber I3 so that the slotted end of link 36 strikes against the end wall of chamber l3 somewhat before the throttle is closed.

Means are provided for controlling the position of the piston 32 as it is actuated by the suction in the piston chamber 2| and include a bolster block 42 secured at its upper end to the upper end of bracket 22 by the screw 43. As.shown in Fig. 6 the bracket 22 is of double U shaped horizontal cross-section, The bolster block 42 extends downwardly in abutting relationship with the central web member of the bracket 22 andis secured at its lower end to the bracket by the screw 44. A leaf spring is secured at its upper end to the bolster block 42 by a screw 43 and extends downwardly with its flat surface perpendicular to the axis of the piston chamber 2 I. The lower end of the spring 45 is approximately in line with the axis of the piston chamber 2| and is deflectible in an are approximately tangent to said axis. The lower end of the spring 45 is coupled to the piston 32 through a link member 46 one end of which is pivoted in the slot 35 of the axial member 33 and the other end pivoted to bracket 41 riveted to the lower end of the spring 45,

The bolster block 42 is positioned on the piston side of the spring 45 and is in direct contact therewith at its upper end. Downwardly from said upper end the surface of the bolster block 42 nearest the spring 45 diverges therefrom in increasing amount forming a curved surface tangent to the surface of the spring 45 and along which the spring impinges at points progressively below one another as its lower end is deflected toward the piston chamben In this manner the effective length of the spring is continually and gradually decreased so that successive increments of piston displacement result in more than proportional increases in spring resistance.

In order to protect the spring mechanism and the piston from impurities in the atmosphere, gritty substances and the like, a cover 43 extends from the top of the bracket around the spring and over the lower part of the piston chamber 2|, being secured in place by suitable screws. The joint between the cover 43 and the bracket 22 and piston chamber 2| is preferably made substantially air tight, and means are provided for maintaining atmospheric'pressure within the cover. As shown in Fig, 6, this is accomplished by providing vent holes 43 in the wall of the bracket 22 on either side of the central web member, which holes are covered by felt 5| or other filtering material inserted between the web member and the side walls of the bracket. This filtering material 5 l, by filtering the air passing through the holes 43 effectively prevents the accumulation of any grit or dirt in the moving parts within the cover. At the same time, because of its porosity, it allows the free passage of air to and from the inside-of the cover and maintains the same at atmospheric pressure.

Means are provided to allow the manual closing of the throttle 25 independently of the action of the governing device. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the manual control end 25 of the throttle shaft 21 projects through and somewhat beyond the side wall of the throttle conduit l1. Near its end, it is provided with a radial hole into which is driven a short pin 52.

A cup shaped 'cap 53 is secured by suitable screws 53 to the throttle conduit l1 in a position encircling the end 23 of 'the throttle shaft 21 and coaxial therewith. A driver 54 is rotatably mounted within the cap 53 in axial alignment with the throttle shaft 21. One end of the driver 54 projects through an axial hole 55 in the cap 53. The other end is provided with a finger 51 projecting along the side of the shaft 26 to a point opposite the pin 52 so that upon counterclockwise rotation of the driver 54 the finger 51 will-engage 1g V a CROSS REFERENCE- SEARCH the projecting end of the pin 52 and cause the rotation of the throttle shaft 2' and throttle 25. A lug 59 projecting transversely from the throttle lever 58 engages the stop screw 58 to prevent its rotation beyond the position shown in Fig. 2. Suitable linkage shown diagrammatically as a single link ii connects the throttle lever 56 to an accessible manual or pedal throttle control 62. Throttle lever 56 is riveted to driver M.

The control above described does not interfere with the automatic control and, regardless of the operator's manipulation of the manual control, the throttle 25 will not open beyond the point set by the governing device. This is apparent from Fig.4 showing the position of the pin 52 when the throttle 2! is fully open, and from Fig. 5, showing the position of the pin when the throttle is closed, the position of the throttle being shown in dotted outline in both figures. Assuming the finger 51 is connected to the usual foot throttle, the pomtion of the finger 51 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is that which would result from depressing the foot throttle to the fioor. As the foot throttle is allowed to rise, it would cause the finger 51 to move in a coimter-clockwise direction and impinge'against the pin 52, driving it and the throttle 2| to the closed position. However, by reason of the fact that the clockwise movement of the finger 1 beyond the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is prevented by the engagement of-the lug 5! with the stop screw 58, the finger 51 cannot be directed against the pn 52 so as to open the throttle 25. Thus the operation of the manual control cannot cause the opening of the throttle, though it may close it.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the manual closing of the throttle 2! beyond the position to which it is urged by the piston 22 does not result in a forcible displacement of the piston 32 for the slot 31 in link I. afiords a certain independence of motion between the two, the only force tending to open the throttle 2! to the limit set by the governing device being that of the coil spring 4|.

The coil spring H is preferably attached to the-piston 22, rather than to some fixed point, so. as not to exert any force onthe piston 22 except when the throttle 2! is manually closed.

The operation of the device may be understood by considering the interdependence of load, speed and throttle opening in an internal combustion engine. The speed is a function of both the load and the throttle opening but if it is to be kept constant,the throttle must be opened as the load is increased; the operator of a motor vehicle depresses the foot throttle as he goes up a hill. Moreover, if the speed is kept constant. the suction above the throttle will bear a definite relationship to the throttle opening and therefore to the position of the piston. The function of the spring 45 is to balance the force of suction on the piston 22 for each position of throttle opening, so that, at the selected constant speed, the piston is in equilibrium in all positions with no force tending.to move it in one d rection or the other. Thus, the spring ll is given an initial tension equal to the force of suction of the piston at constant speed and open throttle, which will occur at maximum load. Because the increase in suction force is disproportionate to the displacement of the pston, a bolster'block 42 is placed beneath the spring 45 to shorten its eflective length, as the end of the spring is deflected, so that the force of the desuction force (at the constant speed) for all a positions of the piston. By choosing a spring of appropriate stiffness, and by correctly shaping the bolster block, such a result can be attained. Difi'erent stiffness of spring and shapes of bolster blocks will be required for governing at different speeds.

Let us assume that the engi e is used to drive a load, such as a truck. If the engine is operating at the correct speed, the force of suction on the piston 32 will be balanced by the spring 45 and the device will be in equilibrium. The throttle 25 will not be displaced and the engine will continue to operate at the correct speed.

If the load is increased, as for instance, when the truck reaches a hill, the engine will begin to lose speed. The suction on the piston 32 at this slightly reduced speed, being less than it would be at the correct speed, is therefore less than the force of the spring 45 and is not sumcient to maintain the piston in balance. The piston therefore moves outwardly thus opening the throttle and increasing the speed of the engine. This unbalanced condition of the device and the resulting opening of the throttle will continue until the engine reaches the desired fixed speed. At'this point the suction on the piston balances the force of the spring and the device is again in equilibrium.

Similarly, if the load is decreased so as to cause a slight overrunning, the suction will be greater than that at the fixed speed, the device will be unbalanced in the opposite direction and the throttle will close until the speed is cut down to the desired speed. At this point the suction will balance the spring and the device is again in equilibrium.

It results therefore that with a device of this ROOM character there can be no hunting, for the device is in balanced condition when, and only when. the fixed speed is reached, and when this speed is. departed from, forces are generated which move the throttle in the correct direction.

From the foregoing explanation of the oneway connections on each, end of the throttle, it will be seen that the throttle may be closed either by the governor or the manual control, neither interfering with the other. At the same time, due to the finger engagement of the driver 54 with the throttle, it is impossible for the operator to cause the engine to operate beyond the predetermined speed, though, if the operating conditions require it, he may reduce speed. 1

The manual closing of the throttle 25 increases the suction on the pston and causes it to follow The provision of a cover ll for the atmosphere side of piston 32 which communicates with the atmosphere only through filtering material 5| is an important factor in preserving the accuracy of the device. As appearsfrom the foregoing explanation of the operation of the device, if a particle of dirt or dust were to lodge on the surlate at the same speed over different loads.

The advantages of using the same throttle for manual and for governor control are numerous and include not only a saving of'material, expense, but a saving of space and an increase-in engine power. The increase in engine power results from the fact that by utilizing one throttle as the manual and the automatic control, the manifold loss which would result from an additional throttle is eliminated.

For the most satisfactory use of this device, it will be positioned so that the axis oiflthe piston is substantially parallel to the axis of the crankshaft of the engine, so that vibrations of the engine will not effect a relative movement of the parts of the governor. In such a position, all the parts of the governor move in a direction parallel to the engine. Since the vibration of the engine is in some radial direction, it will not result in oscillation of the moving parts of the device.

Instead of shaping the bolster block 42 in a smooth continuous. curve, it is sometimes easier to approximate such a curve and substitute therefore a series of steps of progressively decreasing height, and if these steps are close enough, for instance four or five to the inch, a sufllcient approximation to a continuous curve is obtained. Such a bolster block might prove easier to manufacture accurately when only small quantities are wanted. Such a change is only an example of the formal changes which may be made in the specific embodiment 'of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A governor for an internal combustion engine including a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, a chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttle and said engine and having a movable wall responsive to the suction therein, means operatively connecting said'rnovable wall to said throttle to 'close said throttle as said movable wall responds to, an increase in said suction, a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end, the free end of said spring being positively connected to said movable wall so that the movement of said wall effects a lateral displacement of said free. end, a stationary bolster block extending along one side of said spring and shaped so that said spring impinges progressively along said block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

2. A governor for an internal combustion engine including a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, a, chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttle and said engine and havinga movable wall responsive to suction therein, yielding means tending to open said throttle, one-way means between said throttle and said movable wall and operating to close said throttle as said wall responds to an increase in said suction, manually controllable one-way means for closing said throttle, a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end, the free end of said spring being positively connected to said movable wall so that the movement oi said wall efl'ects a lateral displacement of said free end, and a stationary bolster block extending along one side of said spring and shaped so that said'spring impinges progressively along said block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

3. A governor for an internal combustion en-' gine including a throttle in the intake e oi V a.

said engine, a chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttle said engine and having a movable wall responaive r to auction therein, yielding means connecting said throttle and said movable wall and tending to open said throttle, one-way means between said throttle and said movable wall and operating to close said throttle as said wall responds to an increase in said suction, manually controllable one-way means for closing, said throttle, a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end,- the free end of said spring being positively connected to said movable, wall so that the movement of said wall effects a lateral displacement oi! said free end, and a bolster block extending along one. side of said spring and shaped so that said spring impinges progressively along said block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

4. A governor for an internal combustion engine including a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, a chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttle and said engine and having a movable wall responsive ,to suction therein, yielding means tending to open said throttle, one-way means connecting said throttle and said movable wall and operating to close said throttle as said wall responds to an increase in said suction, a stop preventing movement of said movable wall beyond the position wherein said throttle is partially closed by said one-way means, manually controllable one-way means for closing said throttle, a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end to a bolster block, the free end of said spring being positively connected to said movable wall so that the movement of said wall, effects a lateral displacement of said free end, and a bolster block extending along one side of said spring and shaped so that said spring impinges progressively along said block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

5. A governor for an internal combustion engine including a throttle in the intake passage 01 said engine, a chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttie and said engine and having a movable wall responsive to auction therein, yielding means connecting said throttle and said movable wall and operating to close said throttle as said wall responds to said suction, a stop preventing movement of said movable wall beyond the position wherein said throttle is partially closed by 'said one-way means, manually controllable one-way means for closing said throttle, a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end and free end oi said spring being posltivelyconnected to said movable wall so that the movement of said wall effects a lateral displacement of said free end, and a bolster block extending along one side of said spring and shaped so that said spring impinges progressively along said block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

Q. A constant speed fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine including a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, a cylindrical chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttle and said engine, a piston movable in said chamber and responsive to the suction therein, a number having a slot at one end and connecting said piston with said throttle through said slotted end so that the movement or said piston in response to said suction urges saidthrottle to closed position, a

armors 5 ing said throttle to open position, manually controllable one-way means for closing said throttle,

a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end, the free end 01? said spring being positively connected to said piston so that the movement of said pistm effects a lateral displacement of said free end, and a bolster block extending along one side 0! said spring and shaped so that said spring impinges progressively along said block as said piston responds to said auction,

7. A governor for an internal combustion engine including a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, a chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate said throttle and said engine and having a movable wall responsive to the suction therein said chamber'having no communication except to said intake passage on the engine side of said throttle so that the suction in said chamber is substantially the same as the suction in said intake passage, means operatively connecting said movable wall to said throttle to close said throttle as said movable wall responds to an increase in said suction, a

leaf spring connected to said movable wall so that the movement of said wall eil'ects a displacement of said spring, a stationary bolster block extending along'one side 01' said spring and shaped so that said spring impinges progressively along said block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

8. A dual control for an engine throttle comprising a movable member connected so that its position is responsive to the suction of the engine side of said throttle, a lost motion connection between said member and said throttle whereby the maximum opening of said throttle is limited by the position of said member, resilient means tending to open said throttle to said maximum, and manually controllable lost motion means (or closing said throttle.

9. A dual control for a throttle of an internal combustion engine comprising movable means so constructed and arranged that its position is regulated by the suction on the engine side of said throttle, a lost motion connection between said movable means and said throttle so constructed and arranged that the maximum opening of said throttle is limited by the position oi said movable means, resilient means connected to and operating to. open said throttle to said maximum, a

manual control means, and a lost motion connection between said manual control means and said throttle so constructed and arranged that said throttle may not thereby be opened beyond the maximum permitted by said first lost motion connection but may be manually closed independently of said first lost motion connection and independently of said movable means.

10. A dual control for a throttle of an internal combustion engine comprising movable means so constructed and arranged that its position is regulated by the suction on the engine side of said throttle, a lost motion connection between said movable means and said throttle so constructed and arranged that the maximum openthrottle to said maximum. a manual control 5,

means, and a lost motion connection between said manual control means and said throttle so constructed and arranged that said throttle may not thereby be opened beyond the maximum permitted by said first lost motion connection but may be manually closed independently of said first lost motion connection and independently or said movable means.

11. A governor for an internal combustion ensine including a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, a chamber communicating with said passage at a point intermediate of said throttle and said engine and having a movable wall responsive to suction therein, means operatively connecting said movable wall to said throttle to close said throttle as saidmovable wall responds to an increase in said suction. a leaf spring rigidly secured at one end, a-link member one'end oi which is pivotally connected to the free end 0! said spring and the other end of which-is pivotally connected to said movable wall so that movement of said wall efl'ects the lateral displacement of the free end of said spring, and a bolster block extending along one side oi said spring and shaped so that said spring wraps around said so block as said movable wall responds to said suction.

12. A constant speed fuel supply device for an internal combustion e sine including a throttle in the intake pasasge of said engine, movable means responsive tothe suction in said I on the engine side of said throttle, a one way connection between said movable means and said throttle serving to'close said throttle as said movable means moves in a direction responsive 40 to an increase in said suction, yielding means tending to 'open said throttle as said movable means moves in the opposite direction, and manually controllable means for closing said throttle,

' said manual means being a one way means whereby said throttle may be closed by said movable means irrespective oi the position; of said manual means.

13. 'A constant speed fuel supply device for on internal combustion engine including 'a throttle in the intake passage of said engine, movable means responsive to the auction in said passage' on the engine side 01 said throttle, a one-way connection between said movable means and said throttle serving to close said throttle as said movable' means moves in a direction responsive to an increase in the,suction in'said chamber, yielding means connected between said throttle and said movable means and tending to open said throttle as said movable means moves in the opposite di-, so

rection, and manually controllable one-way means engaging said throttle in the closing direction only, and thereby serving to close said throttle by manual control.

msvmcnnnnrnm. as 

